Let's discuss how despicable it is...it may shock you to learn two things about me...

1. I just applied to start my Master's in psychology

2. not 10 years ago I suffered true Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

So let's get down to this

You may initially think that I will be a horrific shrink to think like this but here is what I am getting at. We treat depression with kid gloves and
for good reason. It is something to be taken seriously. Now when we discuss a woman with true debilitating depression I have no quandaries with
initially allowing her to be on disability with the exception that she makes sure she continue treatment and medication with the ultimate hope of
returning to work and indeed a normal life. You have to understand the problem here. This girl is so intolerably depressed that she is telling the
province that she is completely incapable of working. Then we happen across Facebook and see this girl in a bar. She could be drinking, adding to her
depression and causing issues with whatever medication she should be on.

Now when I went through my MDD I was in it for 2 years. These were the most painful years of my life. I did not work and frankly I might have been a
good candidate for benefits. Here are the DSM requirements for MDD

According to the DSM-IV, a person who suffers from major depressive disorder must either have a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in
daily activities consistently for at least a two week period. This mood must represent a change from the person's normal mood; social, occupational,
educational or other important functioning must also be negatively impaired by the change in mood. A depressed mood caused by substances (such as
drugs, alcohol, medications) or which is part of a general medical condition is not considered to be major depressive disorder. Major depressive
disorder cannot be diagnosed if a person has a history of manic, hypomanic, or mixed episodes (e.g., a bipolar disorder) or if the depressed mood is
better accounted for by schizoaffective disorder and is not superimposed on schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, delusional disorder or psychotic
disorder. Further, the symptoms are not better accounted for by bereavement (i.e., after the loss of a loved one) and the symptoms persist for longer
than two months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms,
or psychomotor retardation.

This disorder is characterized by the presence of the majority of these symptoms:

Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others
(e.g., appears tearful). (In children and adolescents, this may be characterized as an irritable mood.)

Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day

Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5 of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite
nearly every day.

Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day

Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day

Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day

Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day

Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for
committing suicide.

When you are in MDD socialising is that last thing on your mind. My psychiatrist begged me to get outside and it was all but impossible for me to
envision myself in a social setting. So yes people are going to have a real hard time watching what they view as a party girl who is too depressed to
function at work yet she can function just fine in a bar.

Those are the issues at hand. I have a good feeling that MDD played a major part in your life somehow and it makes me wonder if perhaps you are
responding emotionally to this as opposed to objectively.

Originally posted by Carseller4
Facebook is not the problem. The problem is the diagnosis of depression in the first place. I'm sure everyone gets a little depressed every once in
a while (especially with our current President), but being in a constant state of depression is a myth. Thanks Facebook!

It's not a myth. When you don't like your job, and your co-workers despise you and that is the environment you come to every day...

Well that was my case. It drove me to depressive states for over a year. I was that depressed enough that I made at least 2 unscheduled leaves per
month pretending to be sick or whatever. What made it worse is you can't leave and find another job because of the economy. Glad I have a better
job now in a new company, the co-workers are especially very professional and no longer depressed

And funny part of these thread. Let me ask you guys, how do you treat depression? Do you think watching sad, depressing movies is good? How about
crashing every damn funerals in the city? Or how about locking yourself up in your room? Eating foods you don't like? Doing things that make you
sad... Is that how you're supposed to treat depression???

So how about spending time and having fun with friends, is the worst possible way to treat depression? Are you supposed to be sad on your birthday??
Is there something wrong with you guys or am I missing something?

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